The Shield & The Sword
by satine86
Summary: "Marching past the doors of the palace full of purpose, Mars faltered in her steps when she saw what lay before her. Once pristine and perfect, calm and beautiful, the landscape was changed. Barren and burning. The machine of war had ravaged the face of the Moon." Rated T for SilMil violence. R/J. AU


A/N: Companion piece of sorts to "Foul & Fair" but it's not necessary to read that first. This was heavily inspired by two Clare Maguire songs: "The Shield and The Sword" and "This Is Not The End."

* * *

_And we don't speak_

_So we're left in constant silence_

_And it's haunting me_

_So I'm ready now to fight this_

_You have the shield_

_I'll take the sword_

_I no longer love you_

_No longer love you_

_I'm not afraid of danger in the dark_

_I no longer love you_

_No longer love you_

_You and I_

_Felt so good to begin with didn't we?_

_But now it seems these shields and swords are haunting me_

#####

"Stay!"

"But you can-"

"Yes, I can! Venus is gone, I'm in charge now. I'm going. You. Stay. Put," Mars ground out to Mercury. She ignored the way the other woman looked up at her, eyes stark and lips pursed. This was not a time for an argument. This was a time for action.

Mars sighed and spoke a little softer, "I'm going, you protect the Princess."

Mercury continued to look at her. She took a deep breath, opened her mouth as if to say something, then snapped it closed with an audible sound. Mercury flung herself forward. "Please stay safe," she murmured against Mars' dark hair.

"I'll do my best." Mars nodded and pulled away. She turned without meeting the other woman's eyes, heading toward the front gates of the palace. They hadn't seen Jupiter since the attack started; she had raced to the frontlines, determined to meet the angry horde head-on with a smile on her face.

Venus had gone a few hours before, when the war had raged closer to the palace, to the Queen. To Serenity.

Marching past the doors of the palace full of purpose, Mars faltered in her steps when she saw what lay before her. Once pristine and perfect, calm and beautiful, the landscape was changed. Barren and burning. The machine of war had ravaged the face of the Moon.

The gentle glow that had once illuminated the entire world - the shine of the Silver Crystal - was gone, burnt out and used. The moon was dim now, the only thing banishing the dark were the devastating fires of battle. They were harsh and ghastly on the horizon, not the pale shimmer of the Silver Crystal, and even Mars could not bring herself to look at them for long.

Taking a deep breath, Mars moved down the steps to the battlefield. She could tell the majority of the fighting was done, many lost or injured, but she knew there was still a bit more to go. There were still men who needed to die.

Without even casting a glance, she sent a fireball shooting toward an errant Earthling who would've flayed her with his sword - stupid fool. He landed with a loud grunt on the steps, the flames burning his body.

#####

It took Mars longer than she would've liked to fight her way through the front gates. She had met Zoisite on the battlefield with a contingent of earthlings. Mars had rained fire down on their heads before moving on, not even pausing to see if they lived or died…. she had others to find.

The once serene expanse near the township outside the palace gates was now a wasteland, marred with bodies and weapons and the stench of death. Several of the raiding soldiers were crumpled at her feet. Sweat beaded her brow. Gashes and cuts ran up and down her arms and legs from her fighting.

Panting slightly, she put her foot down on one of the men and yanked her stolen sword from his chest. She turned to make her way toward the blazing fires where the main forces had been, but a figure stood in her way.

They stood facing off against each other, and a wind started to blow. _Jupiter_, Mars thought idly. The breeze picked up strands of her raven hair, and they slithered across her face as she looked at her opponent.

He stood ramrod straight, shoulders stiff, no longer languid and carefree like she was accustomed to. His uniform was soiled with the remnants of war. One eye was closed, and blood dried brown ran down his nearly unrecognizable face. His good eye was no longer bright and happy like the summer skies she had come to love, but rather cold, icy and unwavering. Lips she knew all too well curled into a smirk, but there was no playfulness, only malice.

"You," she breathed. She hadn't meant for it to slip out, but it had, her voice carrying across the field to his ears.

"You," he returned with a sneer. "Have you lost your way, little girl?"

Mars kept her face indifferent. She knew of their betrayal. She had known what she would find once she went looking-had gone looking for it. She had not known how much it would hurt when she finally found it.

"I do not believe I am the one who is lost."

"No matter who is lost, we've found each other now, haven't we? I believe we know what needs to happen." He spread his arms wide, a slow smile tugging the corners of his mouth. "One of us has to die."

"You have to die." Mars brushed back her hair. Stood as straight as possible. Gripped the sword tighter.

"Fine." He grinned a little wider. "But which one?" There was a flash of smoke, a swirling mass of black and the sparks of magic. A diversion, a distraction, nothing more. Mars kept her ears tuned to the sounds around her, and waited for the field to clear.

When the cloud dispersed she found herself ringed by four Jadeites. A jokester, master of illusion, she had seen this party trick before. It had fooled lesser people, but never her. This was different though, this was charged with Beryl's magic. This was powerful, and the copies were indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Who. Is. The. Real. Jadeite?" They spoke in turn and ended in unison, the same sneer on their matching faces. Mars felt a shiver run down her spine. Stamping down her fear and confusion, she lifted the sword, and leveled at the one to her right.

Turning slowly, Mars kept the point trained on each one in turn. Finally she stopped on the last and sank the sword into the ground.

"NONE!" She bellowed and thrust out her arms. Flames fanned out around her, raging like the fires destroying the Moon. Three illusions disappeared, leaving one lone shitennou in front of her. As the flames died down, Mars felt only the barest bit of satisfaction when noted the edges of his uniform were charred.

"Nice trick. Want to see another of mine?" He whispered and then blinked out of existence. Mars' eyes went wide, frantically darting around the area he had been standing. With a whispered breath, he appeared behind her.

"How could you say none were real? I am Jadeite, am I not?" He murmured into her ear, breath tickling. "Am I not the man you cast aside your holy vows for? Am I not the man who claimed your flesh like you claimed mine?" He ran his hand up her thigh before pulling away.

Mars whirled around and fixed him with an icy glare. "That was another person, you are not him. That man is gone." She quickly pulled the sword from where it was sheathed in the ground. But before she could lift it, he was close again. Close enough for her to feel the heat of his body and see the flecks of grey in his eye.

"You won't do it. I know you won't, you can't hide from me. You never could." He reached up and fingered a lock of her hair. He used to do it before they would say goodbye, when she had to return home. Before it was intimate, but now it felt like a mockery. "You _can't_ do it," he whispered.

Jadeite crushed his lips against hers in a bruising kiss. He pulled back, gaze locked with hers. "Which is a pity," he muttered, lips still brushing hers. "Because I can."

Mars gasped, a cool blade sliding into her stomach. She took in several shuddering breaths, pain coursing through her entire midsection. His eye was no longer the light azure blue of summer skies, nor was it the icy blue of before, but dark, nearly black, and oh, so deadly.

"You love me, whether you want to admit it or not."

"I no longer love you!" she gasped out, the taste of blood choking her.

Mars lifted her free hand and placed it against his chest. The force of the fireball sent him flying back several yards, and he collapsed in a heap, like a rag doll. Mars fell to her knees, leaning against the sword. She looked down at the front of her uniform, watching as the white slowly became as dark as her skirts. She blinked and looked up at Jadeite's fallen body, a sob tearing through her.

Darkness was slowly seeping into the edges of her vision, making it difficult to see him clearly. Her breaths grew more labored, more painful.

When the darkness finally descended completely, she was not afraid, but relieved.

#####

_But when in time I see your face_

_The scars will fade_

_The heart will mend_

_So dry your eyes_

_And lay me down_

_I tell you this is not the end_

_And from this day I wish you joy_

_From today I wish you peace_

_I hope that life will pass you by_

_As softly as the falling leaves_

_#####_

At age twenty-eight Jordan Kent was already one of the top Security Contractors in the world. Hired to find the weak links and loopholes in any system.

He highly disliked the term 'hacker', because his job was so much more than that. Sure, he used computers to wheedle away at various matrixes for various companies, but he also went in to test security plans. Though he also disliked the term 'cat burglar', that oversimplified things.

At the moment he stood outside Tokyo National Museum. They would be getting a certain priceless artifact (he couldn't remember which, and he didn't really care) on loan, and the owner of said priceless artifact wanted to make sure it would be safe. With the okay from the coordinator of the museum, he was ready to test their security.

He'd already spent to day mapping out the place, prodding at their mainframe, and now it was time to see how it worked in a practical application.

Dressed in black, a kevlar vest covering his chest and every type of burglary tool imaginable hooked to his belt, or stored in the small pack on his back, Jordan looked up at the large building. Black leather gloves held between his teeth, he yanked down a knit cap over his mop of sunny blond hair. A few errant curls escaped here and there, and he impatiently shoved them back under the cap.

He slipped on one glove, then the other, using his teeth pull it down all the way while he used his other hand to set the stopwatch on his hip.

Now it was time to play.

#####

Nightmares. Visions. Haunting apparitions. Blood. Pain. Murder and sacrifice.

Sitting up in bed, Rei rubbed her eyes and sighed. She had not had a peaceful night's sleep since an unexpected patient checked into Tokyo General. Zoisite - no, _Zandra_ - had been another piece in the puzzle, but it was not yet complete. Though Zandra was trying to figure out her place, there was still one missing.

_Probably waiting to make a grand entrance_, Rei thought to herself. Though how one could outdo Zandra's, it was hard to imagine.

Looking out the window, the trees surrounding the shrine were black silhouettes in the night. She knew without leaving her room that it was a chill night, autumn having arrived weeks ago.

Rei resigned herself to the fact she would not sleep that night and rose from her bed. She padded out of her room and down the hall, not even bothering to dress properly. As she stepped out into the cool, quiet night she ducked behind one of the cherry blossom trees and quickly transformed.

If she could not sleep, she would at least do something useful. She ignored the small voice in the back of her mind that told her such a thing was unnecessary, it had been for a very long time, but doing this… made her feel better, at least for a little while.

Mars raced down the steps of the shrine, down onto the empty street and crossed to the buildings lining the opposite side. She scaled the nearest one, moving across the rooftops quickly and quietly.

She kept her eyes and ears attuned to the world around her, for anything out of place. For the last several years the Senshi had taken on the role of petty-crime fighters, stopping muggings and robberies. But even those had started to dwindle with the threat of the strange vigilantes.

Mars stopped on the tree lined paths leading up to the Museum for no real reason other than it was peaceful.

Unaffected by the chill, Mars trailed up and down the path, watching as the leaves fluttered and flitted in a gentle breeze before falling to the ground. She paused in her wanderings when she noticed a shadow shift near the museum.

Creeping closer, Mars realized it was a person and not a trick of the light. For a brief moment she was reminded of Tuxedo Kamen, all those years ago, hunting for gems. But this was most definitely not him. For one Mamoru was either at home cuddling his wife or working a late shift at the hospital. Second this person was decked out like they were straight out of a spy movie.

Straightening up, Mars moved forward, following the trail of the burglar. At least this might be a little fun, she thought to herself.

Following the spectral shadow, Mars watched as they broke into the museum without a hiccup. Whoever they were, they knew their stuff, Mars mused. She followed their path into the museum, but by the time she had entered they were already gone to another part.

Mars crept through the deserted place, an odd chill running up and down her spine the entire time. Something was not right. Something was out of place. Mars moved toward a smaller, restricted area where they usually housed more precious items.

The first room she entered was full of Egyptian artifacts, but not a living soul. The next was completely empty save a shadow come to life. The person - distinctly male, she noted by the broad shoulders and strong legs - was covered head to toe in black, moving with the shifting shadows.

"Freeze!" Mars yelled. _What the hell am I saying? Freeze? Ugh, this is like a terrible cop show. I couldn't even Freeze him if I wanted, that's Mercury's territory!_

The figure whipped around, yanking off their cap and goggles in the processes, and it was Mars who froze. "You," she breathed.

#####

Jordan thought for sure he was being watched. But that was crazy. No one knew he was there, and there was no way in hell some rent-a-cop security guard was going to get the better of him. That's why people hired him!

Still he couldn't seem the shake the feeling as he skulked through the darkened rooms of the museum. He crept through several - bypassing various security points as he went - sneaking glances over his shoulder.

It wasn't until he stopped in the room that was to house the oh-so precious artifact he'd been hired to safeguard when a voice sounded behind him, and he realized his suspicions weren't part of an overactive imagination.

He whirled, sweeping off his cap and night vision goggles with one hand, while the other went to his breast pocket for his identification. Any announcement of who he was, and why he was there, died on his lips when he saw the person standing before him.

She was captivatingly gorgeous, if not dressed in the most insane getup imaginable for the time and place. Maybe if it were a Halloween party and they were both drunk off their asses…. but this? This was just plain weird. Though, Jordan had to admit, he wasn't going to lament the mile long legs exposed by a mini skirt. Or the figure shown off quite nicely thanks to the skin tight leotard she wore.

Then he realized, rather belatedly, she had said something else but he had no idea what. He also realized she was staring at him rather intensely. The way she held herself, the tightness in her shoulders, how her fists kept clenching and unclenching, and the way her feet were braced apart, showed she meant business. And the type of business he wanted nothing to do with.

"I'm Jordan Kent!" He pulled his ID and paperwork from his pocket and held it out. "I was hired to check the security, I'm not a burglar. I have documentation here, and you can call the Museum Coordinator if you like!" When she continued to stare at him, eyebrows scrunched and lips pursed, he realized he'd spoken in English.

"Aw, shit. Uh, uh," he smacked the side of his head. "Japan!" He finally remembered where he was and repeated his monologue in Japanese. But even then she did not respond.

"Look," he finally sighed. "Are you going to arrest me? Or fry me? Or what?" Something about the situation gave him pause for thought. Something seemed familiar, and for some reason it made him feel guilty.

"I… it seems to be fine." She swallowed hard. "Carry on!" The woman turned to leave, a wisp of moonlight slating in from the vaulted windows haloing her as she moved. Jordan noticed a strange glimmer surrounding her, something about it tugged at his mind.

"Wait!" He stepped forward involuntarily, one hand outstretched. "Who are you?"

"No one you should concern yourself with at the moment," she said over her shoulder. Then it seemed as if she disappeared in a blink of the eye.

Jordan stood for so long, rooted to the spot, he never noticed the grizzled old security guard coming to make the rounds. Not until the old man shined a flashlight in his face, yelling rapid fire Japanese.

#####

It took Jordan quite a while to calm down the security guard, and even longer to get everything all sorted. In the end, though, he managed to talk his way out of everything while assuring the Museum Coordinator and the owner of the artifact that everything was fine.

He stuck around Japan for a few extra days and researched the best he could about the woman he'd run into. He came to learn about a group called 'the Sailor Senshi', vigilantes, it appeared. There were several of them, from what he understood, though none of the eyewitness accounts seemed even remotely similar to the woman he had seen. Then something clicked, the shimmer around her. It was something more, a glamour. A façade. Though how he knew that exactly, he wasn't sure.

Confused and intrigued and oddly melancholy, Jordan put aside his thoughts and all the unanswered questions in favor of attending the grand reveal at Tokyo National Museum- the last bit of his job, a thank you for all his work.

He arrived when the event was well underway, dressed immaculately in a black suit with a starched white shirt and blue tie he'd been told matched his eyes. "Like a summer sky," the saleswoman had said to him.

He had tried his best to calm his curly blond hair, but nothing seemed to work, so he left it as it wanted to be - an unkempt mess. As he toured around the museum, he snagged a glass of champagne from a passing serving tray and looked around the room he was in.

The first thing he noted was not the ancient vases in cases peppered around the floor, or the intricate weavings and tapestries hanging on the walls. Instead it was a sheath of midnight black hair.

The woman seemed on edge, back straight, elbows tucked into her sides as she gripped a glass in front of her. She shifted her weight from one foot to another, her red dress moving with her and exposing one long, smooth leg.

She seemed engrossed in conversation with a man with jet black hair, and a petite young woman, who had the most absurdly long blonde hair Jordan had ever seen. The young woman reached out to stroke the raven haired woman's arm, a look of sympathy on her face. The young man stopped as he spoke, his navy eyes darting around the room before landing on Jordan.

Their eyes locked and Jordan found himself a little entranced with how familiar the dark blue eyes were. The other man broke their gaze first, but not before giving Jordan a small smile that lit up his eyes, then he turned his attention back to the dark haired woman.

Jordan stood rooted to his spot as she turned slowly. He swallowed as his gaze traced her face; smooth, porcelain skin, large, mesmerizing amethyst eyes and full, ruby red lips. Her mouth quirked ever so slightly and she moved toward him.

When she stopped in front of him, Jordan felt his chest tighten. "You," he breathed. Because there was no mistaken, she was the woman from the other night.

"Hello, Jordan." She spoke softly in accented English. "I'm Rei."

_END_


End file.
